Imagine you are doing walk-through observations in your building - quick glances into a classroom with only moments to assess what is taking place. You step into one room. Students are in straight rows, listening to a lecture, and taking what appears to be notes. You close the door and step into the next room where you see students sitting in groups of 3 and talking to each other. Which class would you say had a high level of student engagement - the quiet one or the one with conversation? A better question might be - what constitutes engagement?
In my humble opinion, engagement can come in many forms. It can be the quiet class where students are working independently. It can also be the loud class where many different conversations are taking place. However, one way to ensure your students are engaged is to develop lessons that incorporate the 4 Cs - Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, and Critical Thinking. These 21st Century super-skills are a sure fire way to increase the level of engagement in your classroom.
In my humble opinion, engagement can come in many forms. It can be the quiet class where students are working independently. It can also be the loud class where many different conversations are taking place. However, one way to ensure your students are engaged is to develop lessons that incorporate the 4 Cs - Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, and Critical Thinking. These 21st Century super-skills are a sure fire way to increase the level of engagement in your classroom.